DSwofford

I am setting up a 30 gallon grow out and a 29 gallon quarantine. I fired up the 30 gallon on March 23rd with two filters (both new) an aqua-tech 30 gallon filter and a marineland penguin 200 with a bio wheel. I filled the 30 gallon tank with seeded water from my 125 gallon tank and put two large rocks from my 125 gallon tank into the 30 to help seed it further. Temperature was set to 78F. On April 1st I filled my 29 gallon with straight tap water and installed the aquatech filter from the 30 gallon tank.
Here are my readings for the 30 gallon tank to date.
March 23rd tank set up with seeded water

March 26th
ammonia 1ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate Not tested

March 29th
Ammonia 1ppm
Nitrite .25ppm
Nitrate Not tested

April 1st
Ammonia .50ppm
Nitrite .50ppm
Nitrate Not tested

April 4th
Ammonia >.25ppm
Nitrite 3ppm
Nitrate 10ppm

April 5th 25% water change

April 6th
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 5ppm
Nitrate 10ppm

April 9th
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 5ppm (maybe higher, it is very dark purple)
Nitrate 10-15ppm

I have a pouch of biospira that will treat 30 gallons but I was planning on dumping it in the 29 gallon quarantine tank as I am planning on getting some fish for my 125, but my guppy fry are getting pretty big and will need to move to the 30 gallon fairly soon. Any ideas how long this nitrite phase will last or what I can do to speed it up? As fast as the ammonia dropped I figured the nitrite would go just as fast, but it appears to be lingering. I'll add the biospira if I have to, but I'd prefer to let it go naturally just because of how expensive the biospira is.

Thoughts and tips are appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your input!

Lucy

You still have Bio-Spira? Bio-spira is now for SW tanks,it was reformulated and called tetra Safe Start for FW.
I would wonder if it's expired if it says it's for FW.

You really should start daily water changes to get that nitrite down, it's at a toxic level.
Once it peaks, I've heard it can drop to 0 almost over night.

DSwofford

I bought it at my LFS last week, they had just gotten their shipment in as it was out of stock two days prior, it says it is for freshwater use....

What percentage do you think I should change out daily?

1000 thanks

Lucy

50% daily, unless you use the Bio-Spira (It would be a good idea to check the expiration date on it)
It was reformulated last year, I think.

DSwofford

The only thing stamped on the foil pouch is 2066A15D no clue how to read that.....

Lucy

Me either. Sorry. Too bad Shawnie isn't on. I'm pretty sure she knows how to read the date on bio-spira.....hopefully she'll see this in the am.

The good news is it looks like your at the tail end of the cycle, that nitrite should be dropping soon but still do water changes for the sake of your fish. If you use the bio-spira, I don't know what to suggest as far as water changes go.

DSwofford

I don't have any fish in there yet, I couldn't put a fish through that! lol

Lucy

Oh, whew! That's good. Well, heck, you're so close, you might as well ride the cycle out, it's almost done.

DSwofford

i wish it would hurry up! lol I have 21 guppy fry that would love a larger place to call home.

Shawnie

im not entirely sure when bio spira was changed over other thank last year.... ....the shelf life on bs is only 6 months tho......so trusting that it will do as you want it too, thats a 50/50 i guess...but you spent the money so why not...I would grab some more established media/subtrate/ or decorations out of the 125 tho as water from an established tank doesnt hold very much bacteria ..especially to see a tank with.....and make sure something is being fed to the tank without an ammonia source in there (fish) congrats on a fishless cycle too!!!!!!!!

DSwofford

Thanks for the info Lucy and Shawnie. I'm going to call the manufacturer and see if it's still good, if not I'm going to return it since I paid about $15 for that little pouch. I'll move some more rocks over from the 125 and do a few water changes and I'll report back in a few days.
thanks again!